Painted Kitchen Cabinets

More Photos of the painted cabinets below.

Stonegate Neighborhood Home Updated with Painted Cabinets. Falcon built, Victoria Model.

We have all seen them. The dreaded orange kitchen cabinets. (Pictured below)  My wife and I call them orange but the builder called them “natural” when they sold them to all of us. I guess in the mid 1990’s there wasn’t a staining technique that allowed for a neutral color stain to stay neutral on oak kitchen cabinets and floors.  Over time they all turn a very ugly color of orange especially if exposed to direct sunlight.

The typical scenario of kitchen cabinets being painted.

I’ve had more people than I can count say they painted their cabinets and that I needed to come see them because it looks awesome. Typically as soon as I walk in the door I can instantly see what happen.  They dropped the kids at school, called over their girl friends and after a Starbucks and a round of gossip they all started painting…with brushes.  There are only a very few pro painters I know personally that can paint a cabinet with a brush and make it look good. From a distance the job they did was nice but up close the bad brush strokes and missed or forgotten interior is exposed. Ouch. It looks horrendous.

Faded Orange Oak Cabinets

So what do you do?

Call a pro. Like I mentioned above there are only a few pro painters good enough to do this with a brush and most of the ones that can do it advise against it. The best way that I have seen is to have is sprayed. No don’t ask hubby to go rent a sprayer at Home Depot or Lowes. Hire a pro painter that has done kitchen cabinets and preferably a pro painter with references and cabinets that you can go see with your own eyes.

Most of the painters I’ve talked with that can do this and have done it will spray the inside of the cabinets too. This looks best in my opinion. When you open a freshly painted cabinet and the inside is a totally different color it just ruins the effect.

Tips for getting your kitchen cabinets painted.

• Call a pro painter or at least someone with references that has done it before.
• Buy some nice trim molding for the tops of the cabinets since you are going to all this trouble and have the painter cut, install and paint it too.
• Don’t pick a wild color. No buyer is ever going to want to see blue or red cabinets in your house.
• Have them sprayed unless you are going for some old world kitchen look. The old world kitchen look really can only be pulled off  properly in larger homes with huge kitchens and several different counter top textures. At least that is my opinion.
• Call Sergio 303-901-9109. He is the painter that did the work in these photos. These cabinets were completely painted properly for under $1000.

Be a Voyeur in Your Neighborhood

School Kids

Parker Parent Looking for the TOTAL Package in a School!

Please comment below if you have an opinion on this subject and I am certainly open for advice and other good options if you have a system that is working for your family. Please let me know. I would love to pass on the information. I don’t think there is a right or wrong answer to this problem it would be whatever works best for you and your family.

If you are a working family that does not have a Mom or Dad that stays home you may be in for a rude awakening when you go to enroll you kids into top pre school and kindergarten programs in Douglas County Colorado. I’m not only talking about Douglas County Schools but also privately owned schools and faith based schools.

Fact: Did you know Douglas County Schools is now the 3rd largest school system in the State of Colorado?

Opinion: I would also argue that it is also probably one of the wealthiest as well. Douglas County has a large tax base of high income earners.

What I have found personally and through many conversations with other parents is that we are blessed to have many great choices for schools and pre-schools.

The Problem:

Many of the great pre-school and kindergarten programs that we have found are very limited in offering only very short programs and many don’t offer 5 day a week classes.

We recently found a top local school that offers 2 or 3 day a week pre-school programs from 8:30 to 11:45 or 12:45 to 3:30. So if you work how could you possibly manage that? No 5 day a week program. No possible way to only send your kid or kids to school for only 3 hours a day 2-3 days a week. It’s a system that caters to the stay at home Mom or Dad. It’s unfair. To their credit they told us that if there was enough interest they “might” consider offering full day. Well I know a lot of parents that are interested.

We also have great schools that offer 5 day programs but close at 3:00 sharp. So drop off is 8-8:45 and pick up is 3:00. School is from basically 9:00 to 1:00 or 2:00 depending on the age of the student so you pay extra for after care from 1:00 or 2:00 until they close at 3:00.

My question is how many companies let you off at 2:30 so you can go pick up your kids and take them home for the day?

Options:

There are day cares that will come pick up your kids and bus them to their site for an afternoon session. I know a lot of people that do that and it seems to work for them but many express sadness in having to have their kids carted around during the day.

I also know that here in Parker there is a place specifically setup for after school care, drop off and recreation activities. I don’t know a lot about it but when we priced it out it was very expensive. Add that to already expensive pre-school and kindergarten.

We have now hired a Nanny to pick up our kids, bring them home and take care of them from 3:00 to 5:00. It works! I can feel comfortable knowing that they are home safe and sound. Some people cannot do this and I know we are lucky to be able to have this option. So, what do people do that are not as fortunate? They are stuck sending their kids to schools that may not be as good or may not be the type of school they want for their kids.

I do know that many of the neighborhood PUBLIC schools offer after school “Enrichment” programs at the kindergarten level. It seems to me that there is about a 50/50 split with parents on this option. Some feel their kids get super bored in these programs since class time ends around lunch and the kids sit around a play most of the afternoon. I hear some even have video games in the classes for the kids to play during the “a. I’m not sure I want my kids playing video games at school to keep them entertained until I pick them up.

Expense:

Two years ago we were paying $26,000 a year for two kids to go to school. Ages 4 & 2. My neighbor has a child at CSU and he was shocked at what we were paying but I told him I was happy to pay it if it provided what our family needed and at the time it was a SUPER fit for our kids. There are many families in Parker and Douglas County that feel the same way. I hear the discussions at sports practices, gymnastics etc…

Solution:

The best possible solution would be to have top ranked schools offer full day & week programs so all of us could participate. If you offer a great service people will use it. I for one would be happy to pay for such a service and I know a lot of people that feel the same way.

The one group that I have not mentioned:

The single parent! GOD I do not know how you guys do it. I praise you 1000 times because I could not imagine raising children all on my own. Neither could my wife. It’s beyond my comprehension how you work, pay the bills, and shuttle kids around with only YOU. I admire you for what you are doing.

Good Schools that you may want to consider.

Cozy Pine Montessori

Parker Landing

Parker Montessori

Core Knowledge

North Star

What do you think? Leave a comment below. Like I said I’m looking for options not just for my family but for our friends and neighbors too. If you don’t want to leave a comment call me 303-941-4663 Steven Beam

My next article will be about waiting lists at these schools and why do we have to have waiting lists? Why can’t all the schools be this good?

Be a Voyeur in Your Neighborhood

Larkspur Perry Park

Three 1 Acre Lots For Sale in Perry Park in Larkspur Colorado!

Asking Price $44,900 but Please Make an Offer!

Here we have a super deal and great value on 3 lots for sale in Perry Park located in Larkspur Colorado.

ASKING PRICE for each of these lots is $44,900. MAKE AN OFFER you may be surprised.

Buy one or all three of these Larkspur lots for sale. Two of the lots are side by side so you could potentially have a beautiful home on one lot and free open space next to you.  You would have the ability to control who lives next to you! Everyone wishes they could do this.

Here is a link to the MLS Documentation for your review.

Photos Below.

The lots are gently sloping with massive views of unique rock outcroppings, rolling prairie hills and the foothills. Come out and take a look or enjoy the photos below.

These are fire sale prices however please do submit an offer. All offers will be considered!

For additional information Call Steven Beam at 303-941-4663 or shot me an EMAIL.

Parker Colorado neighborhood Info

Here is an excellent way to monitor ACTIVE and SOLD homes in very specific areas and neighborhoods. The Market Snapshot. This report is easily setup by me or by you that automatically emails you monthly or bi-monthly all the homes sold and active in a specific area or neighborhood.

(Sample Report Here)

As a Buyer: You can track a neighborhood that you want to move into and see exactly what is active and sold in that neighborhood.

As a Seller: Be a voyeur and see what your neighbor’s house really sold for or watch the market if you are contemplating selling in the near future.

Not only does it show you very detailed real estate stats it will also give you detailed map information about:

• Schools and locations
• Shopping
• Fire Protection
• Police
• Bars and Restaurants
• Recreation Locations (Parks)
• Houses of Worship

If you are interested in the Free service go ahead and use the link above to set it up or shoot me an email and I will set it up for you.

Yours truly,

Steven Beam

Posted via email from Steven Beam’s posterous

Parker Colorado Home Values

“Will a short sale help me sell

my Parker Colorado home?”

In today’s changing and declining real estate market it is becoming increasingly more difficult for many homeowners to sell their homes and fully satisfy the mortgages on the property as well as pay all the closing cost related to the sale.

Email Lou for quick answers to your short sale questions.

• Get Help With your Colorado Foreclosure.
• Colorado Foreclosure time line.
• I can’t make my mortgage payments so what now?
• Find out the market value of your property now.
• How do I Price My Colorado Short Sale ?
• Short Sale Scams in Parker Colorado
  

More and more Parker, Colorado homeowners are looking to short sales to enable them to sell their properties. Not everyone can qualify for a short sale on their property. The lender typically is not willing to provide a discount on a performing mortgage with a strong borrower. Certain conditions must be met before a lender will qualify a borrower for a short sale.

Here are the general conditions for a short sale qualification:

• You must provide proof that you are experiencing a hardship through such things as unemployment, marital problems or medical issues.

• You must show that the value of your property has fallen so the lender can justify the sale of the property at the present market value.

• You must provide evidence that you are behind or about to fall behind in your mortgage payments.

• You must not have substantial assets that the lender can view as a resource to pay your ongoing mortgage obligation.

• You must have a qualified buyer to purchase the property. Your Realtor can provide a buyer from their listing and marketing of the property. This typically is not a problem.

• The lender must agree to the short sale.

By pricing the property in relation to a negotiated short sale discount the homeowner is able to attract qualified buyers who are looking for a competitive price on their new home or investment. With the multitude of short sale and bank owned properties currently listed for sale a short sale discount may be the best avenue for a homeowner to market and sell their home.

Short sales are a specialized form of real estate transaction. A homeowner should work with an experienced and qualified Realtor who specializes in this type of transaction. Your Realtor and their staff will insure that all of the elements of this transaction will take place properly.

Parker Colorado Luxury Homes

This is a report for the Luxury Home Sales in Parker and Franktown Colorado.

The high-end luxury home sales in Parker and Franktown Colorado is moving ever so slow at the moment. The report below will show you luxury home sales fron January 2010 to October 2010.

High-end homes are defined here as any home that sold and closed at or above the $750,000 price point.

I did not include homes sold in Elizabeth and Castle Rock but I can post that report later.

• Total homes sold above $750,000 = 34
• Average total days on market = 214
• Average NET sold price = $994,619
• Highest sales price in Parker and Franktown Colorado = $2,200,000
• Currently there are 7 homes in the luxury market that are under contract.
• Currently in Parker and Franktown there are 119  homes for sale in the Luxury Market.

See All homes in Parker for Sale between $700,000 and $900,000.

See all homes in Parker Colorado for sale over $900,000

6078 Wescroft Ave, Castle Rock, CO 80104

Asking Price $156,900

Elizabeth Colorado Land for Sale

Elizabeth Colorado Land for Sale

Just North of the town of Elizabeth, Colorado on County Road 17 you can see this beautiful rolling land.

Over 36 acres that is fenced and crossed fenced ready for your horses. There is a small home with 3 bedrooms and 1 bathroom. There is over 1,176 square feet and a two car attached garage. The surrounding rolling hills and views are beautiful.

MLS # 903922

Price $269,000

37963 County Road 17, Elizabeth, CO 80107

Download a FULL MLS Sheet Here